Role of Downtown Advisory Committee

The City of Carbondale is embarking on a project to develop a Downtown Master Plan. The principal roles of the Downtown Master Plan Advisory Committee (the Advisory Committee) are to give overall guidance to the process and to assure ample public participation in the development of the Downtown Master Plan (the Downtown Plan). The majority of the work to prepare the Downtown Plan will be done by a consulting firm and its subcontractors hired by the City. City staff will provide two different kinds of support. The first is gathering technical information to help the consultant. The second is to provide technical information, advice and staff assistance to the Advisory Committee.

The specific efforts of the Advisory Committee will be shaped in part by the specific approach to preparing the Downtown Plan that will be used by the consulting firm(s) selected by the City to prepare the Downtown Plan. Once the consultant has been selected, the Advisory Committee will refine its methods of operation and timetable to be compatible with the consultant's schedule and methodology.

The consultant is required to provide for public participation in the development of the Downtown Plan. It is Intended by the City Council that the Advisory Committee will assure public participation in the development of the Downtown Plan. To that end, the Advisory Committee will participate in meetings conducted by the consultant to solicit public input. The Advisory Committee may make recommendations to the City staff and the consultant on ways of enhancing citizen participation in the development of the Downtown Plan. If necessary, the Advisory Committee may convene additional forums to gather public input into the planning process and shall provide any information or opinions gathered to the consultant and City staff. When requested, the Advisory Committee will provide advice to the consultant on issues during the planning process. The Advisory Committee shall review, comment on, and make recommendations concerning drafts and final versions of written reports prepared as part of the Downtown Plan preparation process. The Advisory Committee shall make recommendations to the City Council on Downtown Plan drafts and final reports that are to be submitted to the City Council.

The Advisory Committee's Chairman has been appointed. The Advisory Committee shall elect from its members a Vice-Chairperson to function in the absence of the Chairperson, and the Advisory Committee shall select from its members a Secretary. The actual duties of preparing and disseminating meeting notices, agendas and minutes shall be performed by City staff assigned to assist the Advisory Committee. The Advisory Committee may organize itself into working groups or sub-committees to facilitate its work. The Advisory Committee and any working groups or sub-committees shall comply with the Illinois Open Meetings Act, including its training requirements. Minutes of all Advisory Committee meetings shall be provided to the City Council. The Advisory Committee Chairperson or Vice-Chairperson shall attend City Council meetings monthly to provide status reports on the progress of preparation of the Downtown Plan. That progress will be measured against the timetable agreed to by the City and consultant for development of the Downtown Plan. Any concerns with Downtown Plan development or consultant activities shall be reported promptly to the Mayor, City Council and staff.